Tech 2.0 for Tuesday, April 9, 2013

The House Intelligence Committee is trying to revive legislation that would let industry and the federal government swap information on the latest cyber threats. But the bill stalled last year after privacy advocates said it would open American's private Internet records like bank accounts and email to agencies such as the FBI and National Security Agency. In recent weeks, there have been fresh accusations from industry that the Chinese government is hacking into U.S. networks and stealing billions of dollars in trade secrets. The sponsors say they're tweaking the bill to overcome some of the objections.

Could "The Simpsons" and "American Idol" someday be available only on pay-TV? A top executive with Fox is threatening to convert the network to a pay-TV channel if Internet startup Aereo continues to "steal" Fox's over-the-air signal. News Corp. Chief Operating Officer Chase Carey made the comments yesterday at the NAB Show in Las Vegas, just a week after an appeals court said Aereo could continue its $8-a-month service. Aereo takes broadcast signals for free from the air and sends them to subscribers' computers, tablets and smartphones. Although all broadcasters send out free-to-air signals, they usually require payment when those signals are retransmitted by a cable or satellite company.

This year's crop of high-end smartphones is starting to emerge. First out is the HTC One. Much like the iPhone, the HTC One has a beautifully machined aluminum back and aluminum detailing on the front. Also like the iPhone, the metal edges are beveled. But the HTC One runs Google's Android operating system. While the HTC One clearly borrows some elements of the iPhone 5's style, it's hard to mistake the HTC One for the iPhone. For starters, it is half an inch taller and broader, with a huge screen. It's also noticeably thicker at its maximum. But the AP reviewer finds the camera and software disappoint. AT&T, Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile USA are set to start selling the phone this month. Prices will be about $200 with a two-year contract. There's no word yet from Verizon.